Council OKs up to $200K for Secret City Fest

Tuesday

Nov 13, 2012 at 6:48 PMNov 13, 2012 at 6:49 PM

The city of Oak Ridge will again be a sponsor for next June’s Secret City Festival — and the Arts Council of Oak Ridge will get the money to provide entertainment and activity programs for the 2013 award-winning festival.

by Beverly Majors/Staff

The city of Oak Ridge will again be a sponsor for next June’s Secret City Festival — and the Arts Council of Oak Ridge will get the money to provide entertainment and activity programs for the 2013 award-winning festival.

One Council member involved with the Secret City Festival indicated that some of the Festival’s sponsorships are “iffy” this coming year.

City Council recently approved by a 6-1 vote a resolution authorizing the expenditure of $50,000 from the city’s Economic Diversification Fund, designating the city as a "festival sponsor" and authorized a professional service agreement with the Arts Council. Under the agreement, the city will reimburse the Arts Council for actual costs associated with the festival in an amount not to exceed $150,000.

Council member Anne Garcia Garland was the lone “no” vote on both resolutions.

Council member David Mosby expressed his opinion on making the festival self-supporting, something he and other members have expressed in the past, and also questioned why the city asked for $50,000, instead of $36,000 because the fund balance shows a $14,900 carry-over from last year.

Josh Collins, director of Recreation and Parks, told Council the $14,900 rolled over into an emergency account that could be used if the festival has a shortfall on sponsors.

“We're trying to build an account,” Collins said.

Council member Ellen Smith said she supports the sponsorship, but would like to see where to find the account in the general fund — prompting City Manager Mark Watson to request an audit of the account to “see if it’s efficient.”

Mayor Pro Tem Jane Miller, who is an active participant in festival activities, told Council some sponsorships are now “uncertain.” She said B&W Y-12 has been a $25,000 major sponsor, but with the possible contract change at Y-12 that may not be in play this year.

“WSI is also in the mix for $10,000,” she said. “That's $35,000 that’s real iffy.”

Council had little discussion before voting on the Arts Council reimbursement, with City Mayor Tom Beehan stating, “It is important for the city to lead the way.”

The proposed budget for the 2013 Secret City Festival is $200,000. The festival is on the calendar for June 21 and 22. As in past years, the Festival will feature outdoor concerts, children’s activities, arts and crafts, historic tours of Manhattan Project sites and historic exhibits — as well as a popular World War II battle reenactment.